Methods for inputting graphical information into computers may be used to a great extent with various types of graphics programs, presentation programs, CAD programs, Web design programs, and the like. Such graphical information may be hand-drawn.
Input systems for entering freehand graphics may include a base and a drawing device. When the drawing device is moved over the base, the movement of the drawing device may be recorded electronically as graphical input that may be transmitted to a computer system in digital form. In one such input system, the base may inductively detect the position of the drawing device relative to the base. By repeated recordation of this information, the movement of the drawing device across the base can be tracked and the corresponding image determined.
Known input systems may often be expensive. They may also be unwieldy, particularly if the base has a large input surface and a palette to choose visual properties for the graphical inputs. Such limitations may prevent the use of such input systems in mobile applications.